While a KFC bucket of wings and some strawberry cake may be a Japanese way to spend Christmas, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a more spiritual experience. Attending a Christmas mass or service can be especially comforting for those who are homesick, and Tokyo is home to multiple ...

Glaccolo (center front), a papillon first featured here in October, was being fostered by the Seshiyama family, which in itself bode auspicious. Charmer that she is, the little dog soon worked her way into the heart and home of Michiko Ota, mother of Reiko ...

Welfare for foreigners, bicultural names, pick-up artists . . . these were just a few of the topics explored in the most read Community stories of 2014. Let’s ensure no happy returns to Japan for this vile ‘dating coach’ One of the most reviled misogynist ...

When the Tamura family of Shizuoka adopted not only Hara (left, now named Ribbon) but Shiitake (right) as well, ARK workers cried tears of joy. And from the sound of it, the two dogs have indeed found joy in their new home. In search ...

With Mackerel, the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” comes to mind. An American shorthair with likely a bit of American curl thrown in, Mackerel looks like a bit of a toughie. And, with unsteady eyes that have trouble focusing, she can ...

With decreasing salaries and eroding job security, it may seem as if little has improved for instructors working in Japan’s eikaiwa (English conversation) industry. Full-time contracts, which are needed for enrolment in the shakai hoken (health and pension) program, remain elusive. However, there was ...

"Continuing a small toy shop for five generations is a kind of miracle,” says Masaki Terao, 58, proprietor and purse-string holder at Toys Terao, which his family has been running on Nakamise-dori in front of Asakusa's Sensoji Temple for nearly 130 years.

College preparation for bicultural young adults may include seeking out international as well as domestic opportunities. Some youngsters, however, are heading abroad much sooner — for high school or junior high school. The Japan Times spoke with 13 families whose children were all educated ...